boy's name
Caleb
KAY-lub
- Origin Hebrew
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 5
- Popularity Top 100 (US)
- Births on record 367,205
the United States
#58
2025 births
Caleb is a boy's name of Hebrew origin whose root is debated. It matches the Hebrew word for dog, which most reference sources report, though many scholars prefer a derivation from a root meaning wholehearted — the quality the Book of Numbers repeatedly attributes to him.
- Caleb is a name of Hebrew origin.
- Peaked in 2002, when 11,684 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 635 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Caleb over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 182 |
| 1890s | 89 |
| 1900s | 106 |
| 1910s | 317 |
| 1920s | 416 |
| 1930s | 316 |
| 1940s | 312 |
| 1950s | 416 |
| 1960s | 518 |
| 1970s | 4,012 |
| 1980s | 20,769 |
| 1990s | 66,446 |
| 2000s | 110,303 |
| 2010s | 86,854 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 33,947 |
What Caleb means
Caleb is most often glossed as dog, from the Hebrew kelev, but the alternative reading of wholehearted or faithful is well supported. The biblical text describes Caleb as having followed wholeheartedly, which may be a play on the second derivation.
Where Caleb comes from
Caleb comes from the Hebrew Kalev, and the two proposed roots pull in different directions. The word kelev means dog, and in ancient Near Eastern usage a dog could signify faithful service rather than the insult it implies in English. The competing derivation combines kol, all, with lev, heart, giving wholehearted — a reading supported by Numbers, which says several times that Caleb followed the Lord wholeheartedly, apparently punning on his name. In the narrative, Caleb is one of the twelve scouts sent into Canaan and one of only two who urge the Israelites to proceed, and he is rewarded with a share of the land forty years later.
Caleb in use
A dog in ancient Near Eastern naming suggested loyal service, not the insult the English word implies.
How popular is Caleb?
In 2025, Caleb was given to 5,217 babies in the United States, ranking #58 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Where Caleb is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Caleb
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Caleb also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Caleb over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
1 nickname for Caleb
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Caleb in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Caleb
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Caleb — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Caleb
What does the name Caleb mean?
Caleb is most often glossed as "dog," though many scholars prefer a derivation meaning "wholehearted."
Does Caleb really mean dog?
The Hebrew kelev means dog, but a dog signified loyal service in that context, and an alternative root gives "wholehearted" instead.
Who was Caleb in the Bible?
One of the twelve scouts sent into Canaan, and one of only two who urged the Israelites to enter.
How popular is the name Caleb?
In 2025, Caleb was given to 5,217 babies in the United States, ranking #58 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Is Caleb a girl's or a boy's name?
Caleb is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Caleb?
Caleb has 2 syllables.
When was Caleb most popular?
Caleb peaked in 2002, when 11,684 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Caleb?
Caleb is usually shortened to Cal.
Is Caleb a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Caleb currently ranks #29 in the United States. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.